The Showdown
SubstackvsStackShelf.app
Why pay monthly fees for Substack when you can self-host StackShelf.app for free? Let's look at the facts.
VS
Substack
The Expensive Option
- Closed Source (Black box)
- Expensive monthly fees per user
- Data stored on their servers
WINNER
StackShelf.app
The Freedom Choice
- 100% Open Source Code
- Free forever (Self-hosted)
- You own your data completely
Interactive Calculator
Calculate Your "SaaS Tax"
SaaS pricing is designed to scale with your success.
See how much wealth transfers from your bank account to Substack's shareholders.
10 people
150100200+
$
*Estimated standard pricing for Substack. Adjust if needed.
Estimated Annual Waste
$1,440
Monthly Burn Rate$120
5-Year Projection$7,200
Cost with Self-Hosted$0
Calculations based on 10 users at $12/mo.
Detailed Breakdown
0
Algorithm-driven feed
Community-driven showcase
1
Platform-controlled
User-submitted stacks
2
Shared domain authority
Dedicated profile indexing